


Animal Awakens: Fire And Rain 1 thru 5, The

by scullyslash_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-08-31
Updated: 1999-08-31
Packaged: 2018-11-20 04:14:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11328387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scullyslash_archivist/pseuds/scullyslash_archivist
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.





	Animal Awakens: Fire And Rain 1 thru 5, The

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [ScullySlash](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Scully_Slash_Archive), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works.. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [ScullySlash's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/scullyslash/profile).

 

The Animal Awakens: Fire and Rain by Reddi

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN  
Author: Reddi @   
Spoilers: Upto end of season 6  
Rating: ?? ***ssssslash-tastic baby***  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Also included are ickle song lyric quotes - in this case, the titles. I don't own them either. In fact, when you really think about it, I own very little, except maybe my weird and wacky imagination.  
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.

* * *

"The Animal Awakens: Fire and Rain"

August 16th 00:04 Fox Mulder's Apartment

Sweat soaked, he sat bolt upright.

"Samantha!!"

He called out into the darkness.

* * *

August 16th 01:14 Dana Scully's Apartment

"I *saw* her Scully. She's alive. I can feel it. And he knows where she is." Scully watched Mulder carefully, certain that her next word would mean everything to her partner.

She considered his coming to her in the middle of the night. He *hadn't* ditched her. He wanted, no, he needed her to be involved in this. Her eyes met his.

"Then how do we find him?"

A glimmer of something touched his features. Was that hope? "I tracked him down once before,... we can do it again."

Scully reached over and let her fingers rest against his. Ever since she found out she had been guarded to him. Unreadable. Her iron walls had held firm against his new-found sense. It was only at times like this that she ever let those walls lower, that she ever let anyone in. He felt her thoughts.

<I'm here. We'll find her. Together.>

* * *

August 18th 16:04 Tunisia

Gibson Praise shielded his eyes from the relentless sunlight. Beside him a cigarette fell to the ground. A simple black leather shoe extinguished the orange glow. The figure was strangely silent. *He* was usually the most vociferous of them all. Gibson grinned at the irony. 'Men whose trade is in keeping secrets', he thought, 'Often betray the very thing they seek to protect'.

Gibson raised his sheltered eyes to meet those of the man. A wrinkled, somewhat timeless half grin greeted him. The boy's attention turned to the two huge white domes that occupied the centre of a large crop-clearing. A woman sat outside. She was staring up into the sky, almost ... yes, she was praying, but not to God. She was thinking of ...

Suddenly all the pieces began to meld. An overall image began to appear. He understood. He understood who this woman was, what it was she most desired. He understood the smoking man, and the role he had chosen to play. He understood it all.

Gibson turned to face his captor. He heard the question. Outside the dome, the woman's head snapped around, her gaze penetrating Gibson's soul. He heard the question again, this time in echo. Two voices, one question, one answer.

His attention returned to the man at his side, but his thoughts remained with the raven-haired woman who was inside his mind. He spoke only two words.

"He's coming."

* * *

August 18th 17:30

The Smoking Man watched as two small figures, each dressed in black, appeared. He watched as the man broke into a sprint. He watched as the man embraced the raven-haired woman. He watched as the female, the redhead, paused as though unsure. He watched as she scanned the area. He looked at the brunette, his eyes softening almost imperceptibly. He watched her,... and he saw his daughter.

Three figures moved stealthily through the corn, but Gibson knew exactly where they were. The man had been changed. He was no longer unknowing, now he was *one*. He heard a thought ... "He is *one*". He saw the images. Blood. The man had seen so much blood. And she... she had seen it too. She must have, yet her emotions bubbled under, never reaching boiling point.

Even he, as strong as he was, could not get a complete reading of her. The other woman though, she... she knew. She was one too.

Gibson felt the deceit emanate from the man next to him. It hung as heavily around him as the ever present cigarette smoke that accompanied his every move. He sensed danger, victory, entrapment and... was that?... yes... remorse. The man regretted his actions, but his belief in the work never faltered. A phrase repeated over and over inside his brain.

"It's for the greater good".

* * *

20th August 9:35 Scully's Apartment

"Morning." Scully smiled slightly as Samantha rubbed her eyes. "I slept all night?" Samantha seemed surprised. <Must have inherited her brother's sleeping habits>, Scully mused. <I hope she doesn't have the same taste in videos>. Scully noticed as a small smile played across Samantha's lips. She wondered at the source of her amusement. "How do you feel?" The concern in Scully's voice was genuine. Yes, she had her fears. She feared Samantha was not who she appeared to be. She feared that this was all a part of 'their' game. She feared for Mulder. For her Mulder. She feared that this was another hoax. She feared for herself. How far can she let herself believe in this. <I want to believe,... don't I?> Her questions, both verbal and otherwise, remained unanswered as Mulder nudged open the door.

The smile on his face was genuine, but it too was tainted. He was sceptical. He had wanted this for *so* long, for it not to be real,... It may just kill him. He was much less guarded than she was. Samantha's cursory probe had revealed much about her brother. She saw what he saw. She saw the files, the loss, the longing, the pain, the agony, the abduction... no ... she saw more than one, but that area was too close to him, she couldn't read it. She longed to allow him into her mind, to share with him the secret they both were keeping. Instead she smiled back, and hoped her expression helped to quash any fear inside of him.

"Hey", he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hey", she welcomed his hand into her own.

An eternity of silence passed between them in just a few seconds.

"How're you feeling?" He echoed Scully's earlier question.

Samantha breathed in deeply.

"Alive."

The smile was shared by each of the three people in the room. Scully excused herself and allowed Mulder his time. She would need to talk to him, but now wasn't the right time. Let him enjoy his moment. Let him feel his joy today, for who knew what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

23rd August 11:53 The Office

"Penny."

"Excuse me?" Scully lifted her silver rimmed glasses from her eyes.

"Penny. For your thoughts."

"That's all they're worth?" Scully smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. Mulder remained silent. It was time.

"Mulder, don't you wonder why we were allowed to find her? I mean, we were practically led right to her. And since that time, there have been no abduction attempts or," She swallowed, realising the weight of her words, "Any other attempts to *regain* her." <Or to silence her>, she added silently.

"Scully, It was just time."

"But Mulder..."

"No Scully. Whoever or *whatever* it was that led me to Samantha understood it's role. Understood her role. She has so much to offer us Scully, she has so much to offer the X-Files. She is the key. But more than that, she's my *sister*." Scully sighed. This was going to be much harder than she had imagined. <How could he believe so blindly?>

"It's just faith Scully. Pure and simple faith."

He regretted it as soon as he had said it. He felt her walls build up. He knew she hated it when he did that. Memories of that case flooded her. Her pain at his incarceration. His pain at her turmoil. Scully was his soul-mate. She deserved to be heard.

He crossed the small space to where she sat, her eyes would not meet his own. Gently, he took her chin in his hand and looked at her. His eyes conveyed his sorrow and his love. He reached for her hand tenderly.

Scully felt his fingers enclose around her own. She allowed him in. She lowered her guard.

<Do you want me to continue?>

Mulder nodded.

<What if,.. God Mulder, what if she isn't who she appears to be?>

His face darkened instantly, it was as though the thought had never occurred to him before now. Or if it had, he had dismissed it with the optimism that simply was not a part of Fox Mulder's everyday life. His stoic expression betrayed nothing, although he begged for Scully not to put up those walls again. He could feel them building. Brick by brick.

She sat there. Unsure. <Did he hear me? He hasn't shown it. He hasn't shown anything. She's his *sister*. She must be. Because if she isn't ...>

Scully didn't even want to consider the ramifications.

* * *

August 23rd 19:34 Dana Scully's Apartment

Mulder stormed through the door, almost knocking Scully from her feet. He found Samantha in the kitchen. She span around as he roughly grabbed her by the arm. Her look, however, was not one of surprise.

"Mulder what the hell do you think you are doing ...."

He thought he heard Scully's voice inside the cacophony of noise inside his brain.

<She is me. He is one. She is one. We're not who we are.>

The noise grew in volume... seemingly pushing against the sides of his head. *Pain*

<Need. I need. Need to know. Real... Clone... Clone Clone Clone... Need to know... Certain... Clone.>

Without another thought Mulder grabbed the knife that had rested at the side of Samantha.

*blood*

<Samantha's arm bled,> he was relieved, overjoyed, and ashamed. <I did this.>

Scully's eyes were wide in horror. He had *cut* her. And it was her fault. She should never have expressed her fears to him, not in such an intimate way. Their eyes met... he turned to Samantha. "I'm sorry...I..." "Get out Mulder." "Samantha..." "Now!" Scully's voice was steel. Her anger was so controlled, so restrained that Mulder was almost afraid to leave. But he knew what he had to do. He backed slowly from the room, watching as Scully went into full doctor mode. She had retrieved a med kit from her lounge and was busily addressing Samantha's wound. As the apartment door closed, he leant against it and fell to his knees.

And he cried. Tears of joy.

* * *

"Samantha, I need you to hold this in place very firmly. Can you do that for me?" Samantha merely nodded. <She's in shock,> Scully assumed. "Lets take a look at that cut... hmm ... I don't think it will need stitches. It's really not that deep. I'm gonna clean it up some more and then reassess, okay Samantha?"

<She thinks I'm in shock,> Samantha blinked a few times. <She's right.> She had expected Mulder. Expected his need for proof. She had steeled herself to allow him to do this. To do what he thought necessary. What she hadn't been prepared for... what she had never allowed for, was the strength of emotion that radiated from Scully. The fierce protective streak that had surfaced as soon as her brother had wielded the knife. All of her doubt about Samantha had evaporated, in it's place was something much stronger. Dana Scully cared about her.

Samantha became vaguely aware of a voice. She tried for a read, but once again Scully was the epitome of calm.

"Ok that should just about do it. I'll want to be changing the dressing quite often, but stitches are not necessary. You're lucky." Scully paused and reflected on her choice of words. She was about to amend her statement when Samantha reached for her hand. The connection was immediate and unlike anything Scully had ever experienced before. A strange sensation. She was reminded of the Kindred,.. no... not like that,.. more subtle... more intimate even.

Samantha sensed the conflicting emotions within Dana and felt she should do something to assuage them. <It's ok. Really. I know. I know why he had to do it. I know he *had* to do it. I understand. I feel his pain and joy. I feel... I sensed this. I expected it.>

Scully's eyes grew wide. She recoiled from Samantha as though burned by a flame. <How could I... I heard... How? How?? It isn't possible... She can't be.. She *can't* be..>

<She is one... Dana, I am one.>

"Oh my God..." Scully's mouth hung open. Samantha was telling her that ... "Oh My God..." Scully almost forgot to breathe. "You... How?... How can you... You..."

Scully made her way slowly into the lounge, she sat slowly, carefully, on the couch. Taking her time to regroup her emotions and replace them with control. The connection broken, she no longer heard any thoughts. <Had she heard them? Was she going mad? Oh God, Is this what it feels like to *be* Mulder?>

"Samantha ... does he know?"

A small smile caressed Samantha's lips. "No. No he doesn't. But I do. I know that he has been altered..." The smile dissipated. "I know that he has been changed. I know who orchestrated this. And I know why."

Scully took a moment to centre. She had to tell Mulder. <Didn't she?> Why did it feel like Samantha was asking her to conceal something from him. Why did it feel so wrong but yet so right? "You have to tell him."

Samantha nodded.

<I know.>

* * *

He had never before had to deal with the torrent of emotion that he had just sensed. It was like the destruction of a dam, thoughts and feelings engulfed him like water, clinging to every part of his body and soul. These were the emotions of the women he loved. And, clearly, of the women who were growing to love one another.

Outside the door, Mulder wept.

The End

Continue ? ,... U choose

xXx Red xXx

"We're children, needing other children And yet letting our grown up pride, hide all the need inside.......A Feeling deep in your soul says you were half now you're whole.. No more hunger or thurst , but first be a person who needs people... People who need people.. are the luckiest people.. in the world..."

Red @  
http://www.btinternet.com/~red1401/Red.htm

* * *

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN" Part Two  
Author: Reddi @   
Spoilers: Upto end of season 6  
Rating: ?? ***ssssslash-tastic baby***  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Also included are ickle song lyric quotes - in this case, the titles. I don't own them either. In fact, when you really think about it, I own very little, except maybe my weird and wacky imagination.  
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.

* * *

"The Animal Awakens: FIRE & RAIN part two"

Le Malls Restaurant, Washington D.C.

Scully arrived ten minutes early and was surprised to see her dining partner was there before her. As she crossed the room her long black dress swept around her legs, the low cut bias kissing her curves in all the right places. Her companion arose and visibly sucked in a breath.

<You look ... gorgeous.>

The voice inside her mind sounded half shocked. Scully inclined her head slightly and accepted the compliment. It wasn't often that she was told that, and it felt ...good. Her dining partner pulled a chair out for her. Scully allowed it. 'There is something to be said for chivalry,' Scully thought, 'Especially when I feel so *different*, so womanly.'

"Thank you."

An easy silence ensued. Both perused the menu lazily. A waiter appeared and glances at Scully appreciatively. Her partner indicated that she should order for both of them. Scully smiled slightly.

"To start, hmm, we'll have the melon followed by the house special, it's chicken isn't it. Thank you."

As she handed him the menu, the waiter caught hold of her hand.

"Thank*you*,.... Have you had a chance to look at the wine menu? The House White is fabulous with Chicken and Fish."

Scully looked at her companion who merely shrugged.

"Sure. Why not? Thank you."

She smiled and the world stopped moving. At least for two people in the restaurant. The waiter, suitably pleased by her response, walked away. Her companion simply looked at her.

"Well... Scully, I mean ... wow!"

Scully felt the blush rising in her cheeks.

"I mean,... it's just that,... well you look beautiful Scully."

A bemused smile crossed her face as she was reminded of a nervous schoolchild. "I thought your sister was coming."

Mulder's face fell instantly. <She did *this* for Samantha>

Mulder considered avioding the question, didn't she understand this was too hard for him?

He had felt the heat around them. And even as his partner is a fiesty woman, never had he felt her emotions scorch so intensly. 'And Samantha? What did he think of that? Did he know? Furthermore, did they know? Do they know where they're headed, what they have instore for them? Do they understand their feelins? Will they embrace them or push them away?' All the while Scully's vioce invaded his brain...

<"Not everything is about you, Mulder.">

He knew it to be true. But this was his life. Much more than his career. This was unrequited. His love for Scully transcended all the barriers which had tried to restrain him. He loved her completely, and she loved him. He was certain of it. Was it a sexual love? Perhaps, but to describe it as so is to rob it of the elegance it deserves. He loved her with all of his being, with everything he was and would ever be.

<"I've only held you back.">

'No. Never. Couldn't she see? But above all of this, above all of his personal feelings, he wanted, no, he *needed* Scully to be happy. And if being with Sam made her happy....'

Mulder tried to keep the sadness of his heart out of his eyes. Unsuccessfully. Scully noticed the subtle change in her partner and knew it was time to discuss *that night*.

"Mulder I ..."

"Scully, don't. I know. I understand. I *felt* it. I don't know if I can describe it... it was almost electric."

Before she could stop it, an image of Darrin Peter Oswald appeared inside her mind. She was glad she hadn't ordered the beef.

Mulder let a smile flicker across his lips. He shook his head almost imperceptibly. Scully was much more amusing inside her own head. Mulder tried not to violate Scully, not to read her, but the truth was if Scully wanted to block him out, she would and indeed could. The fact that he heard her thoughts meant she was letting him in. Allowing him the briefest of glimpses into her world. The world of Dana Katherine Scully, MD. He thought about her iron control. Those carefully constructed walls which he enclosed herself in,... but underneath... Dana Scully is no ice-queen.

"So ...", he started.

She nodded and met his gaze.

"What does she know?"

Scully pondered the question. <This ought to come from Samantha.>

"Mulder..."

"Scully please. I deserve this at least."

Scully smiled at her long-time partner and best-friend. She concentrated. In her mind the words 'You're the only one I trust' echoed, unsure if they were from him or her, she took a deep breath and composed herself.

"She knows you are 'changed'. What's more, she knows why and very likely the perpetrator. She didn't say who. She had expected the ... *attack*..." Mulder winced at the word, Scully continued delicately. "She understood, she *understands*, Mulder, the X-Files, you, me, everything. She knows why you felt you had to do what you did. She expected it."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air. Mulder reached across for Scully's hand.

"It's not what you think Scully. This isn't your fault. I admit I had deliberately denied the possibility of Samantha being a clone." He smirked. "The skeptic and the believer. All this role-swapping maybe we should go to a swinger party?"

The comment was not lost on Scully. He was asking her to justify her reaction, her emotion, her *feelings*. But now was not a good time, he sensed this even through the iron walls. Scully was surrounded in confusion. <How could he ask her to explain something even she didn't understand?>

The waiter interrupted their thoughts. He placed the meals down on the table Mulder did not fail to notice the seductive stare he threw at Scully. She merely smiled and said "Thank you." His grin turned into a fully-fledged smile. Inside Mulder's head, the words "He does *not* have buck teeth!" appeared. Mulder almost failed to stifle his laughter as Scully's polite smile morphed into a knowing grin.

'Everything is going to be all right' Mulder thought, relieved. The remainder of the first course was spent reminiscing about old cases, nothing too gruesome though. They hadn't done this in how long? Too long, they decided. They laughed but more than that, they laughed together. Scully was the first to broach the subject.

"You need to talk to her Mulder."

"I know." He wanted to tell her how afraid he was. Afraid to lose what he had spent so long searching for. Afraid of losing himself to the constant noise inside his brain. Afraid of losing the things most dear: his sister, his sanity, .... his Scully. Scully placed her hand over his own.

She *knew*.

He considered making a joke ... 'Psychic-Scully?' She smiled and he thought for the briefest of moments he had heard her voice. It said <Only to you Mulder. Only to you.> He smiled back.

The skeptic and the believer.

All was right again.

* * *

Outside, a lone figure sat on a rusting bench. Cloaked in darkness, a solitary light flickered in his eyes. An orange glow. There was a hiss of protest from the ground as a cigarette dropped from his hand. He even corrupted the rainwater. He smiled a gruesome smile. The light in his eyes extinguished. A little boy walked passed with his parents. He pointed at the man and said but one word ...

"Devil!"

The man bore hard into the child's eyes, making him wince with pain. Once there he placed a single word inside the child's mind.

<Incarnate!>

!end part 2!

Red @  
http://www.btinternet.com/~red1401/Red.htm

* * *

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN" Part Three  
Author: Reddi @   
Spoilers: Upto end of season 6  
Rating: ?? ***ssssslash-tastic baby***  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Also included are ickle song lyric quotes - in this case, the titles. I don't own them either. In fact, when you really think about it, I own very little, except maybe my weird and wacky imagination.  
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.

* * *

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN" Part Three

This had been a wonderful idea of Fox's, she thought.

A week previously Samantha had moved into her own Apartment. Of course both Fox and Dana had been anxious for her safety and it was Fox who came up with the wonderful idea that she should move into the same Apartment block as Dana.

Samantha took a moment to survey her surroundings. All these objects, everyone foreign to her. This may be her home, and freedom was a wonderful thing, but nothing here felt familiar. Samantha was feeling particularly lonely.

As she became a more advanced telepath she was able to block the voices that tortured her brother. She would help him to do this. She had to. He'd go insane otherwise. The noise inside could be ... She shuddered. Unable to think about it anymore, her mind drifted to her previous life. He would be coming.

She knew it.

He wants something.

She drew a breath suddenly, realisation dawned upon her.

She *did* know it. She knew what he, what *they*, want...

<Oh God no, dear God anything but ... I've only just ... But I've only just found ... you can't take.... please no....>

Samantha was too deep in thought to hear the pounding on the door.

* * *

"Samantha??... Are you in there?? Samantha? It's me, Dana."

Nothing.

Scully sighed. She was sure Samantha would be there, after all it was she who had called Dana and invited her over. Well, invited her up is more accurate. Sam had moved into the apartment above Scully which had been made vacant a week or so previously when the former occupant died. Such a tragic death. He was only 34. Heart attack. Scully was reminded to cut out red meat and buy low-fat. She thought of the injustice. Had she been in her apartment at the time someone would have alerted her. She may have spotted the signs of the cardiac earlier, she might have kept him alive. As fate would have it she had been with Mulder in Tunisia, finding Samantha.

Samantha.

The door was open.

* * *

"Hi!" She smiled and stepped to open the door fully.

"Hi yourself!" Scully found herself relaxing already.

"Well come on in then! Go on through... Dinner won't be too long."

"Oooh dinner too?"

Samantha realised she may have been a little presumptuous.

"Well, that is, if you haven't already eaten of course?"

"No I haven't actually. And I'm starving. What are we having?"

"Steak, fried mushrooms and thick-fried fries."

Dana's expression changed to one of horror. She thought back to poor Mr Jones. She couldn't eat that... Scully was so preoccupied in her disgust that she failed to notice the huge smirk on Sam's face. The giggle, however, caught her attention.

"You...?! Do you know what you just did to me? I was trying to come up with a hundred and one reasons not to eat ... "

Despite herself, Scully couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry Dana. You just seemed so serious! Have you had a bad day? Come on sit down, get comfortable. I'll open the wine."

Sam tapped Scully's arm and took the wine from her hand.

"How did you ... oh ..."

"No Dana. I didn't read you. I saw the bottle!"

Scully felt much better about this evening as she sank back into the sofa. It suddenly dawned on her that she was sitting on Mulder's sofa. But not her partner, Mulder, uh-uh, his sister, Mulder. She wondered how Mulder would feel about that. She knew he would feel a little excluded. After all, Scully had been pretty much exclusively his for seven years, and now she had a friend he ... A friend? Is that was Samantha was to her? She hadn't had one in so long, is this what it feels like? Logical-Scully denied Emotional-Dana yet again. Of course they were friends. What else could they be?

It was a question she did not want to answer.

"Hey..." Sam smiled and handed her a glass of Claret. She sat down on the same sofa as Scully, but chose the opposite end.

The two women sat in silence for a short while. Scully was impressed with what Samantha had done with the place. The walls were an ivory wash, with framed prints of the sea, a forest, a night sky, and a desert. Nature. The strongest element. The most unexplainable in the universe.

Ultimately both of their attention came to rest at the mock-flame fire. Scully was reminded again of the awesomeness of Nature. It's power, the power of the unknown. It's people, the unknowing. What must it be like to be at one with Nature? Samantha inhaled deeply.

It reminded Scully of Albert Holstein's funeral. The firelight. The smokey scent. Smoke. Smoke...

"It reminds me of him."

Scully reclined slightly, and turned to Samantha giving her an invitation to continue.

"The firelight. The orange embers... He is a very complicated man Dana. He believes in the goal. He believes in it so absolutely that it can be terrifying to those who do not share his 'appreciation'. He is a monster. I know. But he is my *father*."

Scully reached over and squeezed her hand softly.

"I understand."

Samantha accepted the gesture and went to check on dinner. She needed the space, being next to Dana like this... It must be the fire, or the wine, or the atmosphere... It was so, ... intoxicating.

On the couch, Dana's thought were with her father. She did understand Sam, at least this part of her. She hoped she could help her through it. There were things that she regretted not saying to her own father, and now she would never get the chance. But he knew. He simply knew. Her faith told her so.

Her faith.

The same faith which told her what she was doing now was wrong. So wrong. What was she doing? Nothing. Everything. Why was she here? Why shouldn't she be? So many questions ...

"Dinner's ready."

* * *

Two courses and a bottle of wine later, the two women retired to the sofa once again. Dana brought with her another bottle of Claret, Samantha carried a tub of Double Chocolate Cookie Dough ice-cream.

They giggled as the both flopped onto the couch. Dana was just finishing telling Samantha about her and Mulder's respective versions of the Luscious Hartwell case.

"Really? He said that?"

"Really ... ahh 'shut yo mouth boy...'"

They both roared in laughter.

"And then there was Sheriff Hartwell. Luscious." Scully raised an eyebrow. "He sure was something."

Samantha felt a pang of.. what?,.. no surely not,... jealousy?

"I mean that creep drugged me!!"

Sam forced herself to relax and keep her emotions out of her face. The wine made it increasingly difficult to do. And Scully looked so ... so radiant. The firelight danced across her delicate features, burning brightly in her eyes. And what eyes? They had deviated from their usual amazing cobalt and were now the most magnificent shade of indigo. The darkness of the room was lit up by her smile. Scully realised the scrutiny and turned to face Samantha.

For one second both of the women allowed themselves the privilege of admiring one another without any thoughts of sin, or danger, or Fox. They thought with their hearts and it left them both scared and exhilarated.

Samantha's eyes shone brightly from their half-lidded home. She looked at Scully, and she saw Dana. Dana's eyes mirrored the intoxicated eroticness of her partner's. She looked beautiful. Vibrant. Alive.

Sam leaned forwards slightly, closing the gap a little - the rest would be up to Dana. Scully smiled and leaned closely to Samantha's neck.She lay a soft kiss in the very nape of Sam's neck.

In her ear she whispered,...

"Goodnight."

End part 3

tbc??  
maybe. I'm not receiving much feedback.

Red @  
http://www.btinternet.com/~red1401/Red.htm

* * *

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN" Part Four  
Author: Reddi @  
Spoilers: Not really. But maybe thru to 7 if you count slight references.  
Rating: ?? ***ssssslash-tastic baby***  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Also included are ickle song lyric quotes - in this case, the titles. I don't own them either. In fact, when you really think about it, I own very little, except maybe my weird and wacky imagination.  
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.

* * *

Scully closed the door to her apartment and went through her nightly ministrations. It wasn't until she was in the safety of her double bed that she began to think about her evening. This wasn't like anything she had dealt with before. This was... What was this? Her scientific mind told her she ought to lay out exactly what it was she was dealing with. But how could she? She didn't know. Did she? <Well then I'll just lay out the things that it isn't.>

Her mind became a blank sheet with two columns. The first column contained the word Isn't, the second was a value judgement on whether column A had positive or negative results.

<Ok, here we go... It isn't something I would feel comfortable talking about. Is that a good or bad thing? Bad thing.> She was embarrassed. <Why? Why would that embarrass me?

Next item, it isn't something her family would approve of. Reason? It wasn't the way she was brought up.> She thought of her father, <What would he think of 'this', whatever 'this' is? He wouldn't like it. At all. And Mom.> Scully forced herself to breathe, this situation was confusing the hell out of her.

<After all, I think this is wrong. I'm not one of ... well, one of... I'm not that way inclined.... of all things this, of all things...>

Scully thought about that. Certainly she had known gay people before, she wasn't naive enough to believe that she had never encountered a closeted homosexual, but meeting that alternate healer and her *partner*, now that was different. It was like, well they weren't at all embarrassed by it. They were just 'normal'. But then again, they couldn't have been 'proper lesbians', they weren't butch. But then, neither was she. This thought caused alarm. <Oh my god. They were just like Sam and I.>

Unable to think about that, Scully pulled the pillow around her head, drew her knee's up to her chest and settled down to sleep, something which was to evade her for a long time.

Her last conscious thought was of a tall, dark Mulder and an ill-fated almost-kiss in a darkened hallway, only this time there lips did meet, both were hungry for the contact, it wasn't until she pulled back from the embrace that she realised that the tall, dark Mulder of her dreams had changed. It was still Mulder. Samantha Mulder.

* * *

7:14am Basement

Scully entered the Federal building and made her way to the office, hoping to be alone for a while before Mulder came in. As she opened the basement door she just knew that today was gonna be one of those days.

*thwack*

A scrunched up ball of paper hit her squarely between the eyeballs.

"Morning."

"Shit Scully, I mean, sorry I was just going through this paperwork and something frustrated me and... What are you doing here anyway? It's like 7:15?"

"Apology accepted." Scully manuvered around the scattered paper scrunchies and found her desk. She eyes him wearily. "All right,.. I'll bite." She whispered under her breath.

"Since when did you do paperwork?"

Mulder grinned. <It wasn't that strange an event was it?> "Well Scully, I know things have been tough for you recently, and I came round to thinking that I don't always make things easy for you, so as a token of my appreciation I thought I'd come along a little early and get started on these..."

A snort stopped him mid sentence.

"You couldn't sleep either then?"

"Not a wink."

Now it was Scully's turn to smile. After all they had been through, after everything, after hell, they still had this. And in her mind *this* was the only thing in her life worth fighting for. At least, until recently.

Allowing her silent thoughts to taper off she went to the coffee pot and poured two cups.

Mulder smiled appreciatively. He was her best friend, that wasn't going to change. There had been a time when Scully had thought it would be so much more, but that was against regulations. Something she had always been careful of breaking. Mulder was her other half.

Where he was disobedient and disruptive she was calm and collected, where he was open she was closed, where he believed without question she questioned his beliefs, where she was dark he was light, her *better* half.

Scully was disturbed from her thought by a polite cough. She looked over to find Mulder staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face.

"Better Mulder. Not perfect."

His smirk disappeared when he saw a barrage of scunched up paper heading his way.

* * *

11.16am A. D. Skinner's Office

"Sir, with all due respect we've been through this. I know we're close here. This is everything I have ever worked towards, how can you ... "

Mulder was cut off by a wave of Skinner's hand.

"Agent Mulder I realise that you have just had a big shock. Getting your sister back like that, well, it was quite amazing so think about what I will suggest to you now." He paused a took a breath "The alleged person or persons responsible for her..." He skirted around for a word, he wanted to avoid 'abduction', "'kidnapping' are a part of the most complex infrastructure within this country and throughout the world. Do you really want to tangle with that and risk losing what you've only just found?"

The words penetrated his mind. A red haze settled down there. The anger began to seep through his skin, his posture altering so that his muscles coiled like a cobras ready to strike. His eyes grew hard, the green darkening to the colour of a stormy sea. He was hurting.

Scully watched as Skinner visibly flinched at the transformation in front of him. When he spoke, Mulder's voice was even and steady but betrayed the barrage of emotion which he was keeping so tightly reined in.

"You're telling me, if I pursue this,... If I seek out the answers that have eluded me for so long,.. If I don't just let this one go,.. That they will take her from me again." It wasn't a question, and he wasn't done yet. "Well, *Mr* Skinner, we make our own choices we pay our own prices." And with that he up and left, leaving a disgruntled and somewhat amazed Skinned and a simmering Scully. Skinner watched the door close. "Dismissed" He said aloud.

Scully rose from her chair and approached his desk, leaning over so that her face was merely inches from her bosses "Sir, permission to speak candidly?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Frankly I expected more of you. He deserved better."

Scully turned on her heals and followed Mulder, this time however Skinner was faced with a much more pronounced bang as the door slammed to a halt.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding and walked over to the window. He hated having to do this. To lie. Scully was right, Mulder did deserve better. They all did.

He stood there for a while until a familiar stench pervaded his nostrils.

He spoke just two words, not even turning around to utter them.

"It's done."

A small snick followed by the fading smell of burning nicotine told him that he was one again alone. He returned to his computer terminal, logging in using the new voice mail system the FBI had had installed on their system.

"Compose new mail."

"Ready"

"Addressed to , CC . Header: Annual leave."

The computerised woman spoke again, "Begin".

"I have been made aware that neither Agents F. Mulder nor D. Scully have taken so much as a day of their due leave in the last eleven months. As you are well aware it is company policy to ensure that all leave is taken within the allotted dates, the penalty for exceeding this limit is one month without pay and mandatory leave for a period of two or more weeks lasting until six weeks from the date therein. I am sure I don't need to remind you that it would not be in your best interests to 'ignore' this policy as a great deal can happen in six weeks. Offices get reallocated, divisions get shut down and others appear in their place. Far better then that you agree to my proposal for two weeks leave to be effective immediately. I don't want to see you in this office until after that point, when we will sit down and discuss today's events in more detail.

A.D Walter Skinner.

p.s. Enjoy your R&R. Spend some time with Samantha. Get to know her. She needs you."

"Computer send mail"

"Sent mail"

* * *

Scully returned to an empty office. She had never seen Mulder so furious. She removed the charcoal jacket that she had been wearing and hung it over the back of her chair. Absently she flicked her laptop on. As she moved to make more coffee she found her eyes drawn to the jacket draped over the chair. <The colour that his eyes became> she mused.

With effort she logged in at her desktop and clicked on the icon for new mail. Supposedly there was new voice interactive software available now, but Scully much preferred the old mouse, cursor and keyboard routine. After all, how could she afford not to, in this place especially the walls had ears and super-super-sensitive hearing.

Sixteen new messages. None off Mulder. But,.. one from Skinner? She's only just ... She clicked on it. Incredulously she reached for her cell phone.

"Mulder it's me."

"Scully."

"We're on leave"

"What?"

"Enforced leave."

"They can't do that..."

"They can and they have. Skinner sent us both an e-mail on it."

Silence.

"Mulder? It might not be such a bad thing. Two weeks. You can spend the time with Samantha."

It wasn't much, but it was the most she knew to say to him.

"Scully,... I want you to know, I mean, I can't drop this and it isn't your fight. This is one place that I'm going to go on my own."

"No Mulder. Where you go, I go. You know that."

Another silence, but this one was a comfortable, usual one.

"Scully, thanks."

As the line went dead she contemplated the last sentence of Skinner's mail.

*p.s. Enjoy your R&R. Spend some time with Samantha. Get to know her. She needs you.*

Undoubtedly that was tacked on just for Mulder.

Wasn't it?

End part 4.

* * *

Title: THE ANIMAL AWAKENS: FIRE AND RAIN" Part Five  
Author: Reddi @  
Spoilers: Not really. But maybe thru to 7 if you count slight references.  
Rating: ?? ***ssssslash-tastic baby***  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Also included are ickle song lyric quotes - in this case, the titles. I don't own them either. In fact, when you really think about it, I own very little, except maybe my weird and wacky imagination.  
Summary: Samantha is found. Scully is lost.

* * *

A gentle knock roused Scully from a favourite chapter of Austen's "Pride and Prejudice".

She checked the spy-hole in the door and smiled as she removed the chain. She stepped back from the door, ran a hand through her hair and straightened her clothes. She debated whether to blow out the candles that had illuminated her apartment, should she turn the light on instead?

Probably.

There was another knock.

Scully opened the door quickly, not wanting to keep her visitor waiting any longer.

Samantha was just about to walk back to her own apartment when Scully called out.

"Sorry, I was... I mean I didn't hear... Come in." Samantha smiled at her and stepped passed her in the doorway. She held up a wrapped bottle for Scully's inspection.

"I heard you had a rough day."

Samantha followed Scully through to her living room. Scully gestured for her to take a seat while she uncorked the sparkling Chardonnay. She reappeared a short time later with two crystal flute glasses.

"Cheers"

They toasted one another.

"So, I guess I should ask,.. What's the celebration?" Samantha eyes Dana. She looked tired.

"Fox told me what happened today. I just came to see if you were ok with it." "What's not to be ok about? Two weeks leave. Yup. Looking forward to it. I mean, it's not like I have the time to fit in my busy social schedule as it is so this couple of weeks sure will help my calendar..."

Scully was stopped from continuing her little tirade by a elegantly boned hand that had come to rest on her elbow.

"Dana, what's wrong?"

Scully blew out a breath from between clenched teeth and wondered how this woman seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. <Because she's reading your mind> A little voice told her. It was a voice she didn't want to believe, but it nagged at her. When she met Samantha's eyes and saw the hurt expression in them she knew she had been wrong.

"I, uhm,.. I don't have many friends Samantha and I'd like to think," She paused. <Bite the Bullet Scully, come on you can do this> "I'd like to think that what ever else we may be, we are friends."

Scully sat there and waited for a reaction. She was petrified. Until,...

Scully was rewarded with a huge smile.

She took a moment to study the younger woman's face. How young she looked when she smiled.

How much pain, how many secrets, those dark eyes concealed.

Samantha's eyes took on a faraway look.

"The reason I'm here Dana, I've been to dinner with Fox. We talked. I told him."

"You told him?" A raised eyebrow.

"Yes. I told him that the man who he has hated for so long is the same man that I have worshipped for the same time. I told him that I never stopped thinking about him when we were separated, that I loved my brother always. I told him that I knew he was altered and that the experiment had been a family event so to speak." "You told him about that?" Scully was impressed. That had taken bravery on Samantha's part, talking about that couldn't be easy but at least now Mulder understood more.

Understood his sister's devotion to the man he called El Diablo. Scully afforded herself a moment to study the plains of Samantha's face. She was beautiful. So much like Mulder, and yet so different. A quiet strength pulsed through her body, drawing Scully in further and further. She watched as a breath was drawn, and lips slightly parted, a slight sound escaping from Samantha's throat. Scully raised her eyes and met with sea green that Scully couldn't help but fall right into. The candlelight raised shadows across her face, the fire evident in her eyes. Dimly Scully realised that there was something wrong with this picture. She couldn't quite place ... Oh, yeah, that was it. Samantha was crying.

It was instinct that guided Scully hand to brush away the tear, instinct, but it was something else that made her hand stay a moment longer than it should have.

Scully pulled away as though burned.

Samantha caught a hand between her own.

"Dana... I told him *everything*."

Scully's head was spinning, her mind reeling, what had she told him? how could she face him? did he know? could she know? Oh god oh god oh god...

Samantha was wracked with silent sobbing and all of Scully's rationale went flying out of the window. She leant over and pulled the taller woman into an strong hug, her hand absently drawing circles on Samantha's back. Scully found herself whispering things like "Shh, it'll be all right. I've got you. They can't hurt you anymore. You're safe here. That can't get to you now." And the one that surprised her the most: "I won't let them."

Scully woke up a little confused.

Why was she on the couch? Why was it so dark? Oh god,.. she wasn't alone. She could hear the sound of someone stealthily moving down her hallway, their hand on the doorknob, the door opening. Scully had no time, her gun was in the bedroom and there was nothing suitable to hand, better then to hide in the shadows. She controlled her breathing and waited...

The door opened.

And Samantha walked in.

Scully breathed deeply. In her confusion she had forgotten about the evening's events.

They must have fallen asleep. She was now eternally grateful that she hadn't pulled her gun.

"Oh I'm so sorry Dana I didn't mean to wake you." "No it's ok. How are you feeling?"

Samantha came back over to sit on the couch.

"Better. Thank you. You know, for listening." Scully smiled.

"Anytime you need."

It was out before she could stop it, but somehow it didn't embarrass her.

Samantha smiled contentedly.

"Well, I guess I should be going."

"What time is it?" Scully asked.

"A little after two."

Samantha stood up, and Scully raised also. She didn't want this evening to end.

"Well, if you don't want to, you know, be alone right now you're more than welcome to stay, and besides I'd feel more comfortable about that that you wandering around the building at this time." Scully knew that it was a thinly veiled excuse, she hoped Samantha didn't.

"Well it is late to be moving around. If you don't mind..?"

"Settled then. Come on." Without a thought Scully had taken Samantha's hand and led her into her bedroom.

Scully had never been more glad of the dark than that moment. Her faced blushed 4 different shades of red. "I just,.. uhm,.. I thought... well no sense in wasting a perfectly good bed and it's bad for you to sleep on couches. Although your brother seems to manage it... If this isn't..." Samantha held a finger against the Agent's lips to silence her.

"Thank you"

The words were whispered.

Samantha removed her sweater and jeans and crawled beneath the sheets. Scully walked around to the other side of the bed and did the same. They lay as close as two people could without actually touching and Scully thought about the last time someone had shared this bed. There had been no one else. Scully resisted the urge to wrap her arms around her best friends sister.

"Dana?"

"Mmm."

"I just wanted to say, thank you for being her tonight. It means more than you know." Scully resisted no longer as she pulled Samantha into a warm hug. It began as a friendly appreciative hug, but soon the sensation of almost bare flesh on almost bare flesh was too much for Scully. Her skin actually ached with longing. Desire she had never felt. Sins of the flesh. She vaguely remembered hearing a small cry, unsure of whether it came from herself or Samantha. She listened to Samantha's breathing. Rapid. She could feel her own heart pounding in her chest.

Dana Scully had never felt so alive as she did at that moment, her arms wrapped around a beautiful, strong, fragile person who she had grown to care for in inexplicable ways.

Samantha raised her head to Scully's. Half lidded eyes staring back at her, she realised this was almost a reflection of herself. This was arousal. That hungry, faraway, glazed over look. Scully wanted so much to close the gap between them, she let her fingers slide a spiral ring of hair away from Samantha's eyes.

Samantha inclined her head into the touch, tilting her head slightly and closing a little more of the distance. She leant forward...

Scully could hear the rush of blood through her veins. She thought she was going to burst from the pressure. Her stomach was doing flips all of its own. She saw the half-lidded gaze become full lidded and soft lips touched her own. Samantha stayed there for a moment, simply resting the weight of her lips on Dana's. It was the most sensuous thing Scully has ever experienced. Before Scully had a chance to respond the caress was gone, instantly missed.

Samantha regarded her firey-haired friend for a second. She was beautiful.

"Goodnight" she whispered.

After all, turn about was fair play.

End of 5

* * *


End file.
